Family Life Continues On
by LindaLeeB
Summary: The continuing story of the McGarrett-Williams Family. Steve, Danny, Jack, and Jesse enjoy life in Paradise with their neighbors, Ed and Clara Williams. Their ohana continues to grow. Slash warning! Sixteenth in the series.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: Ideas are fictional; not making any money on this. Hawaii 5-0 belongs to CBS. That's okay because none of this would work on TV.**

Family Life Continues On, Chapter 1

December 2024

It's been a busy year. Grace graduated in August and is working for Finn while pursuing her MBA. The boys are in the 6th grade which puts them in the junior high school. They're still at the same campus, just in the next level school. Jack's ADHD medicine was tweaked after the first couple of weeks of school and he's doing well. He continues to swim or run with Steve several days a week, sometimes in the morning and other times when Steve and Danny get home from the office. Jesse is doing well at school and is very happy with his life.

Ed and Clara are quite settled in next door. Ed loves his consulting job, and both are very happy to be living so close to their family. With the extra money coming in, he was able to fly Paula and Jackie and their families over for the Thanksgiving weekend. The girls were finally coming around to their parents' relocation. Between the extra rooms at both homes, the families were able to stay with either Ed and Clara or Steve and Danny's home.

By the end of the visit, it was apparent that Ed and Clara were thriving in their new environment. Jackie and Paula talked together their last night on the island.

"Paula, I have to say that I wouldn't want to live so close to Mom and Dad but it seems to work for Danny and Steve."

"You're right. They're all so happy together. Steve and Danny love being so close to Mom and Dad. And the men still act like they're on their honeymoon. They have been married almost thirteen years. I don't know how they do it."

"I don't know either. Our nephews are so cute and polite too. Jack is almost a clone of Steve, but I can see some of Danny in him. Jesse watches the others and is very protective of them. Steve loves Danny even when Danny is nagging at him. He even sets Danny off on purpose. I don't get it, but I do understand why Mom and Dad like living here. It's only November and we already have six inches of snow on the ground back home. I don't want to go back to that."

"We didn't treat Mom and Dad very fairly either. It was very nice of them to send us tickets to visit. I don't know about you but I intend to apologize in the morning. I owe it to them and to Steve and Danny too."

"Me too. I miss having Mom and Dad back in Jersey but they both look so happy and so healthy too. I think Mom has lost more weight and Dad has dropped almost twenty pounds. Their new home is gorgeous. I'd love to have their bathroom and their kitchen."

"It's going to be tough flying home tomorrow. I read the forecast for Jersey. We're getting more snow. I hope that our flight isn't delayed or cancelled."

As it turned out, a blizzard hit the east coast including New Jersey while the girls were asleep. Although they could make it to LAX, the connecting flight to Newark was cancelled and another flight wasn't available for another three days. Fortunately Finn had a corporate jet that was headed to New York City and he offered the Williams family the open seats on the plane. It was a perfect ending to a very nice holiday weekend.

Christmas was a still a big event at the McGarrett-Williams compound. As Steve envisioned, the Christmas decorations spanned both properties. There were multi-colored LED lights in the front yards while white fairy lights adorned the backyards. This year there was an additional noteworthy event scheduled. On December 21st, Cliff and Lori were getting married down by the beach to the spot where Steve and Danny exchanged their vows.

Although Lori had resisted Cliff's advances initially, it was difficult when Cliff was so sweet with Mike and with her. Lori didn't realize how entrenched he had become in their lives until he had to go on an extended trip back to the mainland. All of a sudden there was a huge hole in their routine. Although Cliff called and texted frequently it wasn't nearly enough. Cliff often took Mike out fishing with Ed or swimming at his house so Lori could have a little free time. Cliff considered a day running errands with Lori and Mike a good day. He gave her feet a wonderful massage after a long day chasing suspects. He even picked Mike up at school a couple of days a week to give Ed and Clara a break. Mike had his own hard hat so that he could accompany Cliff to the job site although Cliff only took him to the sites where mostly finish work was in progress.

When Cliff proposed just before Thanksgiving, Lori was a little surprised but ready with her answer. She loved Cliff, and Cliff loved her and Mike. Both agreed that they wanted a short engagement. When the venues they toured were booked until January, Clara and Ed offered their beach for the ceremony. Although Cliff had beachfront property, the back yards of the McGarrett-Williams compound had special memories. For Lori, there was the civil ceremony for Steve and Danny several years ago. Lori had carried a torch for Steve back then, but there was no denying the devotion between the pair. She hoped her marriage was as happy as the one she witnessed that night.

It was also there that Cliff became a member of their extended ohana. He was there for the luau to celebrate Jesse's adoption. Cliff was instrumental in bringing Ed and Clara to the island, and he spent many hours working on the Williams home before they moved in. It was also there that Cliff first met Lori.

When Steve and Danny heard that there was going to be a wedding next door, they offered their yard so that the reception would have plenty of space. Predictably Steve became super-hyper in the days leading up to the wedding. Danny didn't know whether to shoot him or banish him to the back yard. To make it worse, Steve stepped into a hole while chasing a suspect the day before the wedding. He was diagnosed with a serious ankle sprain and now he was wearing a boot to stabilize his ankle. It would be weeks before he could run although he was still able to swim.

Steve slept in on Saturday because his ankle hurt the night before and he refused to take painkillers. Danny finally brought his cooling machine out to keep Steve's ankle iced down. It was a lifesaver when Danny was recuperating from knee replacement surgery and it allowed Steve to be comfortable enough to finally get some sleep.

The boys were up and fed by the time that Steve woke up. Danny sent them next door for a while so he could give Steve a little extra attention. A quick call to his dad ensured that the kids wouldn't be back until after lunch.

Steve woke to the aroma of coffee. Danny took the cuff off Steve's ankle and gave it a gentle massage. Steve was trying to decide what to do first: have a sip of coffee or hit the head. His need to relieve himself won out.

"Danny, can you help me to the bathroom? I really need to go and I know that my ankle is going to hurt like a bitch when I stand up."

"Wow, you're asking for help! That must be a first."

"I'm sorry Danny. I know that I've been out of control. I'm setting a terrible example for Jack and probably Jesse."

"Let's get you up. What's going on with you babe? I know Christmas is a bad time for you but your behavior is beyond the normal holiday thing."

Steve considered Danny's question as he relieved himself. When Steve was back in the bedroom sipping coffee, he tried to answer Danny's question.

"I don't know Danny. I've been careful with my diet. I tried to work in an extra workout when I could. Believe it or not, I think it's the wedding."

Danny sat next to Steve and palmed his face. He tried to imagine why Cliff and Lori's wedding would have such an unsettling effect on his husband.

"Okay, I give. Why is the wedding such a problem for you?"

"Well, they're having the ceremony in the same spot where we had both of our ceremonies. It's almost Christmas. I remember how it was for us that year. We had been partners for over a year and I was sure that you and Rachel were getting back together. Then I was arrested and the team was disbanded. Then in a matter of days, you and Chin cleared me. You were still so angry at losing Rachel again."

"I remember those days well. I think what made me so angry was finding out that the baby wasn't mine. I knew that the baby would keep Rachel with Stan. By the time that Grace and Rachel came back, I was ready to let go. Then you snuck right in. You weren't even on my radar."

"Well you were on mine. You snuck in too. It wasn't until I almost lost you to sarin that I realized that I loved you. I couldn't believe it when you agreed to move in. I was so happy. We still owe Grace big time for getting you in our bed. We went through so much that fall. I was deployed and then betrayed in North Korea. You agreed to marry me or at least what passed for marriage back then. I remember how that was such a perfect time. Your family was here and Mary was here. I remember holding your hand when we said our vows. I remember the sound of the surf and the bang of the fireworks. Now we have another wedding coming up and it brings it all back to me."

Danny could only smile at Steve's words. He knew that Steve was a softie when it came to the Grace and the boys but it still surprised him to see Steve so sentimental. He gently rubbed Steve's back.

"It was a really great time, wasn't it? I remember waking up on New Year's Day. I remember that I felt like such a loser the year before and I felt like I had won the lottery. I had the hottest man on the island in bed in what had become our home. I had Grace more than half of the time and I no longer had to watch every penny to provide for her. I had a partner who shared the responsibility of raising Grace and who loved her as much as I do. And I had mind-blowing sex mostly every day."

"Speaking of sex, you asked what you could do to help. I think a little therapeutic sex might help. I don't hear the patter of little feet. Are the boys with Mom and Dad?"

"Good guess. So this is like the blow job you gave me when I came home after surgery. You need the endorphins?"

"Well as much as I enjoy your blow jobs, I had something more in mind. You can be on top."

Danny laughed at the hopeful look on Steve's face. Steve could be such a guy sometimes. He was always ready for sex and gave as good as he got.

"How can I refuse such a romantic offer? I would ask if you're up for it but I can see that you are." Danny stood and quickly shed his clothes before pulling off Steve's boxer briefs. He slid his hands back up Steve's legs, ignoring the part of Steve begging for attention.

"Danny, please don't tease me this morning. I remember that first night that we slept together. I was spooned in front of you. I need to feel your body on mine. I remember the first time you were in me. I need that now. I need you close so I can't tell where I end and where you begin."

Steve was pulling Danny on top of him. His hands were everywhere. He needed it hard and fast but Danny wanted something else. He soothed Steve with kisses and words.

"Slow down babe. I'm here and I'm not going anywhere. The boys are next door and the team is officially standing down for the weekend. We've got time. Remember our wedding night? Kono snuck in and spread rose petals on the bed."

"I remember picking rose petals out of places where there shouldn't be rose petals. It was really special that night. Even though we had made love before, it was different after we stood in front of our family and friends and pledged our love."

"That's how I want to make love now. It was slow and so sweet. Can you do that for me babe?"

Danny could feel the tension easing out of Steve's body. Steve's hands were less frantic as they moved over Danny's body. Danny continued to talk to Steve, murmuring words of love and encouragement.

When Danny reached for the lube in the nightstand, both were more than ready to join. Danny slowly slipped into Steve and paused to make sure that Steve was comfortable. Then he slowly drove in and out of Steve. Soon he became more frantic and both men found relief together.

It was a very mellow Steve who went next door to retrieve his sons. His ankle was still sore but Danny coerced him into taking half of a painkiller after eating a late breakfast. Cliff's wedding planner was busy supervising the workers in the back yards so all the men had to do was show up at the proper time. Lori was dressing at the Williams' home at Clara's insistence. She was Lori's matron of honor and Ed and Mike would escort the bride down the aisle. Finn was the best man, and little Fiona was the flower girl. The twins, Eamon and Quinn, were too young to be ring bearers. Kono and Finn had their hands full with those two. They were little hellions and Finn couldn't have been more proud. They were the spitting image of their father.

The wedding went off without a hitch. The bride was radiant and the groom was also beaming. Both said their vows without any hesitation. Steve was able to dance a slow dance with Danny before his ankle started to throb. It was a beautiful night, and the count to Christmas was down to four days.

_December 21__st__ is my anniversary with my husband Steve. This year is our 40__th__ anniversary. I wanted Cliff and Lori to have a special day. I have also added the recipe for the chocolate pudding/pie to my profile. I had to pick through Mom's recipe box to find it. I used a frozen pie shell to make the pie and found the crust had gotten soggy. Dad used to eat the pudding over warm biscuits so I might try that. The flavor was as good as I remembered and my family requested that I make it again soon. Hope you enjoy the recipe and the latest addition to the Family Life series._


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: Ideas are fictional; not making any money on this. Hawaii 5-0 belongs to CBS. That's okay because none of this would work on TV.**

Family Life Continues On, Chapter 2

January 2025

The Saturday morning started out innocuously enough. Steve and Danny were off for the weekend. Since the roster of 5-0 expanded to 10 people, they were only on call once every five weeks. Lori and Kono were on call this particular weekend. It should have been Kaleo and Jessica but they had swapped due to a schedule conflict. Swapping was so common that Steve sometimes wondered why he even bothered with a weekend schedule.

Steve and Danny planned a quiet simple weekend. Mom and Dad were off to the big island for a weekend. Finn and Cliff had a big project going on there and Cliff asked Ed to go over on Friday to check the site. Ed was an opportunist and brought Clara along so they could have a romantic weekend at one of the resorts.

Finn and Kono were also hoping for a quiet weekend. 5-0 hadn't been called in for the last couple of weekends. Kono gave the staff the weekend off. She was hoping that just the five of them could spend a couple of days bonding.

Cliff and Lori were definitely still in the honeymoon phase. Mike was over the moon at having a dad again. Lori was planning to hit some home décor shops in an effort to make their house into more of a home. Cliff had been undecided about keeping his house, but it seemed like more of a home with his wife and son living there.

Then the proverbial shit hit the fan. First there was an accident at the job site on the big island. Cliff got a call that part of a wall collapsed, trapping a couple of men. The men were unhurt but the job boss was uncertain how to best extricate the men. Cliff called Finn and it was agreed that they would fly to the big island and supervise the operation there.

Kono and Lori were understandably upset but they understood the pressures of the job. About 30 minutes after their husbands left, they got a call from dispatch. An unidentified body washed up on the north shore under suspicious circumstances. Now both women were in a panic.

Steve got the phone call from Kono a few minutes later. She was in a bind with the children. Her regular emergency sitters were unavailable. Steve crossed his fingers and told her to bring the kids over. Fiona was 4 ½ now and not too difficult to take care of. The boys were almost 2 years old and definitely more of an issue. Eamon was laid back enough but the Mighty Quinn (as Finn called him) was fearless. And whatever Quinn did Eamon followed.

More than once the boys managed to evade their parents in the big mansion. Kono rejected Finn's idea of implanting a chip on the boys so that they could be found wherever they roamed. She finally allowed Finn to install heat and motion sensors in the house and within the property perimeter. That way they could just look for little bodies of heat.

Lori also tried to call Steve for help but the line was busy. She called Danny who was upstairs collecting dirty laundry. Unaware that three children were already en route to Casa McGarrett-Williams, Danny agreed that Lori could drop Mike off. It wasn't until Danny came downstairs with a basketful of sheets and towels that they realized what they were up against.

A few minutes later Lori dropped Mike off. Another eight year old added to two eleven year old boys was not a big problem. Jack and Jesse thought of Mike as their younger brother. When Kono's kids were added to the mix, they had chaos. Fiona loved her Uncle Steve and Uncle Danno. She thought of herself as a princess and considered Jack and Jesse to be her minions. As much as Kono and Finn discouraged her bossiness, Fiona was definitely winning that war. Eamon and Quinn also loved their honorary uncles but they considered Steve and Danny's house uncharted territory to be fully explored.

While Fiona provided a distraction, the twins made a beeline for the second floor. By the time Kono was finished giving Steve and Danny the twin's schedule, the boys were out of site. The older boys decided to evade Fiona and went outside to the fort. Mike was okay outside as long as he was with Jack and Jesse but little Fiona needed adult supervision. When the boys firmly shut the door behind them, Fiona let out a howl of protest.

"Danno, how did we start the day with two boys and end up with five boys and a princess?"

"I'm not sure but we need to find the twins. You're good at tracking people. See if you can track down Eamon and Quinn. I'll deal with Princess Fiona."

"Danny, little boys don't leave footprints on hardwood floors."

"You'd rather deal with Fiona?"

"Not really. I'll go upstairs. How hard can it be? There's only so many places that they can hide, and the house is pretty baby-proof anyway."

Steve was still muttering to himself as he climbed the stairs while Danny snatched Fiona.

"Okay Princess, let's see what I have left of little kid toys." Danny rummaged in the storage area under the stairs and found a box of big plastic building blocks. He settled Fiona in the living room.

"Princess Fiona, why don't you try to build a castle? Maybe when we find your little brothers, we can go outside and build a sand castle." One down, two to go.

Steve mentally laid the second floor out in a grid. There were three bedrooms with closets, two bathrooms, and one big linen closet in the hall. Steve roll of packing tape in the linen closet and checked the closet thoroughly to make sure the boys weren't in there. He then taped the door near the top so he would have an indication if one of the boys tried to get in.

Steve checked his room next to make sure that the boys hadn't escaped to the second floor balcony. No one was under the bed or in the bathroom. He had almost finished with the master bedroom walk-in closet when he heard a giggle. Steve saw Eamon on the top shelf near the back corner.

"Well I guess that I'll have to tell Uncle Danno that Eamon and Quinn went home. That will mean more pizza and ice cream for the rest of us. It's a shame too because we have chocolate chip ice cream today and it's Eamon's favorite flavor."

"I'm here Uncle Steve."

Steve stopped on his way out of the closet and turned to see Eamon struggling to squirm out of his hidey hole. "Hold on little man. We don't want you to bump your head on the way down. I'll bet you know where Quinn is."

"Can't tell on Quinn." Eamon folded his arms and stuck his chin out.

"That's okay. We have fudge ripple ice cream too but the carton is almost empty. It's my favorite and I was afraid that Quinn would eat it all. It's every man for himself around here. I can claim it if Quinn won't come out for lunch."

Eamon screwed his face up in concentration. He was torn between protecting his twin from discovery and making sure that Quinn got his favorite ice cream.

Steve walked into the hall with Eamon tossed over his shoulder and called down to Danny. "Danno, I've got Eamon but Quinn is a no-show. That means that I get to finish the fudge ripple ice cream after lunch."

"I'm here Uncle Steve." Steve heard the faint cry from the direction of Grace's old room. He checked Grace's closet and then under the bed. There was Quinn wedged under the head of the bed in one corner. Steve kept a firm hold on Eamon while he pulled Quinn out.

Steve walked both boys to his room and set them on his bed. He walked back and forth a couple of times before stopping to nail them with his death glare. "Okay men, you're in my Navy today. I'm the Commander here. Do you know what that means?"

Both boys shook their heads.

"That means that I'm the boss of you and you have to follow my orders. If you don't, then I'll have to throw you in the brig. Do you know what that means?"

Again, both boys shook their heads but there was a little sign of trepidation in their eyes now.

"That means that I'll have to lock you up. I still have Jack's pack and play. You'll be detained there for timeout.

"No timeout. We be good." Eamon spoke up with his chin trembling.

Steve smiled broadly. "Excellent. If you're good, you'll get furlough. Then Uncle Danno and I can take you outside so you can play in the fort. How does that sound?"

"Wanna play in the fort." Quinn loved the fort and always headed for it whenever he was in the back yard.

"Then we have an agreement. No more running off to hide. Agreed?"

The boys nodded their agreement.

Steve snatched the boys off the bed and slung each over a shoulder. "Then let's go find Uncle Danno.

Danno had given up any attempt to get any laundry done. Instead, he opted for trying to keep tabs on the kids. He was relieved to see Steve with the twins.

"Wow, I'm impressed. I would have guessed that it would take you at least a couple of hours to find them. Kono swears that every gray hair she has is because of these two."

"I used my ninja skills. Please tell me we have chocolate chip and fudge ripple ice cream in the freezer."

"I think you're in luck. You're lucky none of the kids are lactose-intolerant. That would make my plan for lunch a bust. I was going to have pizza delivered."

"Good plan. I was offering ice cream for dessert."

"Yeah, I guessed. What do you want to do with the Red Chiefs* now?"

"We're going to play in the fort for a while. Does the princess want to join us?"

"Can I build a sand castle instead?" Fiona looked up from her giant tower and gave her Uncle Steve her best puppy-dog eyes. Steve was sure that Grace must have taught her that move.

"What do you think, Uncle Danno? Can you supervise the sand castle if I man the fort?"

"I can do that. Hey, if you're manning the fort, does that mean that you're in the Army now?"

"Danny, can we not do the Army-Navy thing today? We're in danger of being out-smarted by Kono and Finn's kids. We're all a little scared of Kono, and Finn is so good with systems that he kind of scares me too. We need to hang together if we don't want their kids to get the better of us."

"Fair enough." Danno executed a bow. "Princess Fiona, may I walk you to the beach?"

Fiona willingly took Danno's hand and walked out to the beach, detouring only to grab some buckets and shovels. Steve had his hands full with the boys at the fort. At least Jack and Jesse were old enough to help corral the younger boys.

After an hour playing in the yard, Steve called an order for pizza to be delivered. The pizzeria called him back when the delivery person was on the way. He had everyone cleaned up and sitting at the table when the pizza came. Lunch kept the kids busy for a while. Then Steve brought out the promised ice cream. He scooped out kid-sized portions for the younger children.

Then it was time to clean the younger kids up again for their afternoon nap. The boys needed a dry diaper too. Danny snuck upstairs to put clean sheets on Jack's and Jesse's beds so Steve could bed the kids down there. Steve read a story for Fiona, Eamon, and Quinn. Although they were resistant to the nap idea, eventually they all fell asleep.

Meanwhile, Danny settled the older boys on the living room floor with a movie. They were too old for a nap, but Danny and Steve learned the hard way that sometimes a little quiet time in the afternoon went a long way. Danny was unsure how long they would have the extra kids, so anything he could do to keep them fed and rested was all good.

That was how Lori and Kono found them when they came in a little after two o'clock. They were prepared for the worst and relieved to find that their boss and other boss had the situation under control.

"Hey Danny, do I have to ask where my kids are? Please tell me that they're not lost." Kono couldn't help smiling at Danny. It wasn't often that she could throw him a curve ball.

"Oh please, Steve has them upstairs taking a nap. Your future juvenile delinquents did go on the lam but super-SEAL managed to track them down. I'm not sure what he told them but they were almost normal kids when he brought them downstairs. Just so you know, I'm not paying for therapy if Steve scarred them for life."

Lori and Kono laughed and accepted a cold drink while they reported on their case. By the time that the movie was over, the younger kids were finished with their nap. Steve stopped by his room before taking the kids downstairs.

"Hey Kono, how are you doing? Did you and Lori get the mysterious body figured out?"

"Sure thing boss. It was a piece of cake. How did it go here?"

"Piece of cake, just like you said. I need just a minute here. Eamon and Quinn, front and center."

The boys stopped at the bottom of the stairs.

"Men, you shaped up nicely. Do you know what that means?"

The boys shook their heads.

Steve squatted down to their level. "That means that after our little talk this morning you were very well behaved. I have good conduct medals for both of you. When you get five of these, you get a trip to Crystal's with me and Uncle Danno and Jack and Jesse. We'll eat pizza and watch cartoons and play in the arcade. Okay?"

The boys nodded and positively beamed as Steve pinned the medals on them. Steve bought a box of the medals when Jack was younger to use as an incentive for potty training. He kept them in his closet in case he ever needed them again. Today he definitely needed them.

"Princess Fiona, front and center."

Fiona stood with her brothers and accepted her medal. "You get the same deal as your brothers."

Steve stood and walked over to Mike. "Mike, front and center."

Mike stood and accepted his medal. "Mom, look what I got. I was a good boy for Uncle Steve and Uncle Danno."

Steve and Danny waved goodbye everyone with a sense of relief. Steve turned to his sons.

"Guys, you understand why they got medals and I didn't give you one?"

"Sure Dad, you were just trying to get Eamon and Quinn to behave. Then you had to give one to Fiona and Mike so their feelings wouldn't get hurt. We live here and we're old enough to understand the rules. Besides, you take us to Crystal's whenever you want to give us a treat."

"Smart guy Jack. You're good too Jesse?"

"I'm good Dad. Was Jack like that when he was a baby?"

Danny rolled his eyes and laughed. "Jack had a pretty good disappearing act and he climbed with the best of them but no, he wasn't that bad and at least there was only one of him. When the twins get a little older, it shouldn't be so hard to watch over them. We appreciate your help with them."

"I second that. How about we finish with our chores and go for a swim? I really need to work off some stress."

So the rest of the weekend went better than Saturday morning. Steve and Danny took the boys out fishing on Sunday after church. Chin's uncle loaned them his boat, and everyone caught fish. Mom and Dad returned home in time to join them for a supper of grilled fish and veggies, fresh salad, and fresh fruit for dessert. After the boys went to bed, Danny told his parents about how they ended up with a house full of kids on Saturday. Clara was sorry that she missed it. They were all laughing as they said goodnight and prepared for the week to come.

_*If you haven't read "The Ransom of Red Chief" by O. Henry, it's a delightful tale of a difficult child who was kidnapped. He called himself "Red Chief" and his antics were so out of control that the perpetrators ended up paying the boy's parents ransom to take him back._


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: Ideas are fictional; not making any money on this. Hawaii 5-0 belongs to CBS. That's okay because none of this would work on TV.**

Family Life Continues On, Chapter 3

April 2025

Steve and Danny were enjoying a beer in Finn and Kono's back yard while surveying the festivities going on around them. It was Eoman's and Quinn's second birthday party and the area was filled with friends and family. By Danny's estimate, there were at least forty children of various ages playing one of the games the littered the perimeter of the yard. Finn enjoyed manning the grill as much as any of the men present but like Steve and Danny he understand that sometimes it was more expedient to call in the professionals.

That is why Finn was free to seek out Steve and Danny for a private conversation. For a wildly successful businessman with a beautiful wife who adored him and three amazing children, Finn had a very troubled look on his face. Steve was the first to pick up on it.

"Finn, it's a great party so why do you look like someone kicked your favorite puppy."

"Thanks Steve. I think Kono underestimates you sometimes. I expected Danny to pick that up."

"Thanks a lot. I'll have to remember to assign some of my least favorite paperwork to Kono on Monday."

"Please tell me that you're kidding. I have a favor to ask and you're free to say no. Just be gentle with the boys when you turn them down."

That drew Steve's interest. "Why? What do the boys want to ask me? They're great kids, you know. We had a really good time babysitting them when Kono was called in to work and you and Cliff were on the big island."

"They want to camp out with you and the boys. We were over having dinner with Cliff and Lori last weekend. They went up to Mike's room and saw his pictures and certificates from your campouts. Now they want to camp out with you and the gang."

Steve considered it for a moment. "Are the boys potty trained?"

Finn grinned. "Yes they are. The advice you gave Kono about getting the urinal potty chair was brilliant. I put a target on it and after that it was a game to hit the target as often as they could. What do the boys do when they're camping out?"

"Well Steve lets them pee on the trees and bushes. I have to remind them not to pee on the same bush. They killed one the first year of camping."

"You two lead such fascinating lives. Is there any chance the boys could join you then?"

"Do you think that they're ready to spend the night in a tent with a bunch of boys?"

"They're pretty set on it. Mike told me that he was a little unsure his first night but you assured him that he could bunk in the living room with Danny if he would rather do that. Lori told us that you encouraged her to let Mike stay even if only through hot dogs and smores. I know that they're a lot young than the other boys."

"That's not an issue Finn. Jack was fairly young when we first started doing this. It was just Charlie and Jack for the first time. Andy and Kekoa didn't join us for another year or so. Jesse joined in when he came to live with us. Mike's first night was shortly after Lori re-joined the team. The older boys are really good with younger kids, and they love your kids. You know that we invited Fiona, but she wasn't interested."

"I know. She really enjoys going to tea with Grace instead. She's definitely a girly girl."

"Is Kono okay with it?"

"Kono trusts you with our children as do I. We know that they are safe with you and Danny."

"Then if the boys ask, I'll tell them that they can camp out with us the next time. I'll talk to the other boys so that they'll know ahead of time. We'll see how it works out."

"Thank you. You and Danny are already their favorite uncles. This will cinch it for sure."

After Finn left, Danny turned to Steve. "You know that will make it a total of eight boys."

"Danny, Charlie is 13 years old. Jesse is twelve, and Jack will turn twelve later this year. The older boys are old hands at this. It's good for them to mentor the younger kids. You saw how well they did with Mike his first time. They love Eamon and Quinn. Remember how thrilled they were to have two more boys for their boys' club? We'll have to help them with their hot dogs and marshmallows but it will be fun. We loved it when Jack was that age."

"Yeah, he grew up too fast."

"Now we get to play with a couple of two year olds without being responsible for them 24-7. It will be fun."

It only took a few minutes for the twins to catch up with their favorite uncles. Quinn was the spokesperson for them as usual.

"Uncle Steve, Uncle Danny, it's our birthday."

The men stooped over to give the little boys a birthday hug. They did love the boys although they could appreciate how much energy it took to keep up with a toddler.

"Happy Birthday Eoman! Happy Birthday Quinn! Wow, I can't believe that you guys are two already."

"Thank you Uncle Steve. We're getting growed up and we don't wear diapers no more. Can we camp out with you and Jack and Jesse and the other guys?"

"You want to camp out with us in the back yard? You know that it's just me and the guys in a tent? We sleep in sleeping bags, and we cook hot dogs over a campfire. Are you sure that you want to do that?"

Eamon wanted to camp out more than he ever wanted to do anything. He wanted it enough to speak up. "We really want to, Uncle Steve. We got sleeping bags for our birthday. Can we Uncle Steve?"

Steve looked at two adorable faces and knew that he couldn't turn them down. Either he was getting soft or they were even better than Grace at getting their way.

"How can I say no? As long as your Mommy and Daddy say it's okay, you can camp out with us the next time."

Eoman was jumping up and down for joy but Quinn was a little more measured. "When can we camp out?"

"I don't have a day set up yet. I'll have to check to see when I'm not on call and when the other boys can come. I promise to talk to everyone's mom and dad and see if I can't let you know before we have cake. How is that?"

Now Quinn was as excited as his brother. "That's great. We're going camping!"

The boys were still vibrating when they ran off to find the mom. Finn had been watching the exchange with admiration and respect. Kono once told him about her first year with 5-0. Steve had a lot of demons to slay back then, and he had done so very well.

The party was a lot of fun for everyone and the food was fantastic. Steve and Danny made the rounds to visit with their friends, but Steve deliberately corralled Stan and Rachel over by the gift table while Danny herded Chin and Malia in that direction. Everyone pulled out their smart phone and checked their schedules. Steve knew how anxious two year olds could get and he wanted to find the soonest available date.

It was decided that all the boys could come on the Friday after next. Sure enough, the boys came running over to Steve and Danny just as the birthday cakes were brought out. Each boy had his own cake made according to request. Eoman order chocolate fudge cake with butter cream frosting. Quinn preferred devil's food cake with cream cheese frosting. To everyone else, they looked like two chocolate cakes with white frosting. The boys, however, definitely knew the difference.

Steve stopped them before they could ask and showed them his calendar. "Guys, we have a date set up. This is today, and this is the day we're going to camp out. It is only twelve days so you don't have long to wait." Steve patiently counted the days out for them.

It was the best gift of the night for them. It was so hard being the babies of the 5-0 family and they wanted to grow up way too fast. Kono circled the day on the calendar in their bedroom so the boys could mark the days off.

The night before the campout, Finn joined the other dads to help put up the tent. There were a lot of jokes about erections and morning wood. It was like being in a high school locker room, only Finn never got to have that experience. His life during his teen years was very rough and he enjoyed the camaraderie with the men. The beer and wings after were pretty good too. He wished that he could be there to watch the boys' enjoy their evening under the stars. Well, maybe he could if he could wangle an invitation to dinner from the Williams.

_I know this chapter is a little short and I promise to follow up with the next chapter by the weekend. I had someone contact me via a review asking me if I was okay because of the flooding in Detroit. I live north and west of the worst of the flooding although it hit close to where I worked before I retired. It will be days before all of the major highways are cleared, but fortunately there was no loss of life. Thanks for your concern._

_Linda_


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: Ideas are fictional; not making any money on this. Hawaii 5-0 belongs to CBS. That's okay because none of this would work on TV.**

Family Life Continues On, Chapter 4

April 2025

Finn enjoyed his evening with Steve, Danny, Chin, Stan, and Cliff. They put the big tent up in record time and enjoyed wings and beer on the lanai. Instead of going straight home, Finn wandered over the Ed and Clara's home next door. The couple was sitting out on their deck sipping wine.

Ed saw Finn walk over and called down to him. "Hi Finn, want to come up and join us with a glass of wine?"

"I would like to come up but I've had enough to drink for tonight. Thank you for the offer."

"You're quite welcome. What's on your mind?" Ed was surprised to see Finn. Cliff was a frequent visitor but Finn usually didn't come over unless there was a joint party going on or there was a problem he needed to discuss. Ed's first thought was that there was a problem at the job site.

Finn sat down and tried to decide how best to work his request. He was feeling a little stupid even before asking.

Clara wasn't sure that she had ever seen Finn so tentative. "Finn, is there a problem with Kono or the children?"

"No, there's no problem. It's just that the boys will be joining Steve and Danny tomorrow night for their campout. Once they heard about all the boys camping out in a tent in the back yard with Steve, Eamon and Quinn decided that they had to be there the next time around."

"I know, dear. That's all they could talk about at their birthday party. Do you think that they're too young to spend the night away from you and Kono?"

"No, not really. I talked to Steve and Danny before the boys got to them and made sure that it would be okay with them. I trust those two to keep the boys in line; in fact, the boys have been on their best behavior since Steve started handing out good conduct medals. They don't want to be thrown in the brig."

Ed laughed. "That sounds like something Steve would do."

"It should have traumatized them, but they idolize the man. Danny runs a close second."

"So what's the problem?"

"I feel foolish to say it out loud. I know that the boys are going to have a great time. It will be something that they will remember for a very long time. I just wish that I could be here to see it."

"Finn, you know that Steve wouldn't object if you wanted to camp out with them."

"No Ed, then it wouldn't be the same experience for the boys. It would be that their da stayed with them because they're so young. It would diminish the evening for them, and that's the last thing I want to do."

"So you just want to see it without being seen?"

"Basically yes I do."

"You could always put a camera in the back yard and record it."

"No, that would be an invasion of privacy for Steve and Danny and the rest of the boys."

"Well, you could sit with Clara and me and watch from here. We usually sit out here if the weather is nice, and I confess that we enjoy watching the camping nights quite a bit. The evening is usually over between nine and ten p.m. Why don't you and Kono come over after you drop the boys off? We can order in pizza and enjoy the show."

"That's a generous offer Ed. I would like to very much, but I insist on providing the pizza."

"If you insist, that will be fine. And Finn, you wouldn't be foolish. Steve makes a big deal about it with the boys. Danny takes pictures too and makes up the certificates. They have already talked to the boys about mentoring your boys. It's a big deal to Jack and Jesse because they're taking a leadership role in helping the new recruits. That's how Steve put it. It sounds like he's running a boot camp but nothing could be farther from the truth. It's just a part of the fun."

"I know that. Steve is a very complicated man. He's part ninja warrior and part boy in a man's body. He relates to children so well. I can understand Danny easier especially after knowing you and Clara. I'd better get home. I suspect the boys are waiting up to hear that the tent is ready for tomorrow night."

Finn was right about that. He barely made it in the door before two small missiles were aimed at him.

"Da, is the tent up? How big is it? Uncle Steve still says we can come, doesn't he?"

Finn tucked a boy under each arm and climbed the stairs. "Yes, big enough to sleep one man and a bunch of boys, and yes."

The boys were so excited that it was difficult to get them to bed that night. Only when Kono reminded them that they needed to get plenty of rest or they would be too tired to camp out did the boys finally settle down.

Fiona was excited about Friday also. When Grace heard that the boys were spending the night under the stars, she asked if Fiona could spend the night at her apartment. She planned a mani-pedi night followed by a late morning tea.

"Finn, do you realize that we'll be kid-less. We should do something special."

"We can later in the evening. I sort of made plans for earlier in the evening."

Kono tried to keep a straight face as Finn explained their plans with the Williams' for Friday evening. To the world he presented such a sophisticated figure who negotiated multi-billion dollar deals. Only those around him understood he was such a big softie for those he loved.

"So let me get this straight. We're going to eat pizza with Ed and Clara and spy on my boss and a bunch of kids."

"Kono, it's not like that. The boys are so proud that they're grown up enough to camp out with the big boys. They are going to experience so many new things tomorrow night. I've seen them take their first steps and speak their first words. I just want to see this. Then we came back here and have monkey sex."

"It's okay Finn. I wouldn't mind seeing it for myself either, but I'll take you up on the monkey sex."

Steve and Danny took off a little early on Friday afternoon to get everything prepped for their evening. They also reminded the boys about their plan to help Eamon and Quinn survive the evening.

Steve and Danny would help with roasting the hot dogs and marshmallows for smores. They would also make sure that the boys were cleaned up before bedtime. After that, Jack and Jesse promised to stay close and help the boys.

The other boys came over a little early so that they could help carry food outside. Steve was just lighting the campfire when the twins ran into the back yard. Finn looked a little weary as he carried their sleeping bags and backpacks out.

"Long day Finn?"

"You have no idea. These two little hellions have been bouncing off the walls all day. Actually they have been crossing off the days since their birthday but you probably guessed that."

"That's why I scheduled it for the first possible date. You can commiserate with Danny. He has to deal with Jack and me before vacations and holidays."

"He deserves a medal!"

"Yes he does. I understand that you and Kono are having a quiet dinner next door."

"I guess that I'm busted. I hope you don't think that I'm trying to spy on you."

"We're good. I can understand how you feel. It's a big deal for your boys and it's going to be a lot of fun to see how they handle it. Why do you think that I have the boys over so often? It's reality TV at its best. Nobody can ever anticipate what it going to happen because the boys are always changing. Adding two little boys to the mix will be primetime entertainment. We'll get to see how the older boys help the younger boys, and we'll get to see how the younger boys handle their first night camping out."

"Thanks Steve. We'll say goodnight to the boys and we'll see you in the morning to take the tent down."

"You're welcome Finn. Danny and I take care of what is ours too."

The evening proceeded without any major glitches. Steve paired with Eamon for the meal. Danny decided that he would be a better fit with Quinn because he was the Alpha twin. He tended to be a little more hyper than his brother and Danny had more insight on how to keep him calm after so many years of dealing with Steve and Jesse.

Danny sat on a low camp chair with Quinn bracketed between his legs. He kept a quiet commentary on the proper technique for getting the hot dog properly browned on all sides. Once Quinn's hot dog was ready, Danny let him sit on the ground like the other boys while he cooked his own hot dog.

Steve used a similar technique helping Eamon although he kept the boy close while he ate. Eamon accidentally knocked his drink over and it spilt onto Steve's pants. Steve calmly wiped off his jeans as much as he could and went on as if nothing happened.

The boys also ate chips, carrot sticks, and fruit. Then the marshmallows came out and the real mess began. Between the sticky marshmallows and melting chocolate, all the boys needed soap and water as well as clean clothes. Steve took a few minutes to put on clean pants; his jeans were still damp from Eamon's root beer.

Once all the boys passed inspection, the campers adjourned to the back yard. Danny spent a few extra minutes cleaning up the kitchen and throwing the dirty washcloths and towels in the washer. Outside, Steve and the boys sat around the campfire telling stories.

In the earlier years, Steve told most of the stories. Now that the boys were older, each boy was expected to find a story to tell. The boys were experienced doing research on the internet and they usually competed to see who could tell the best story. Steve asked them to keep them not too scary for the younger boys' sake. He was pleased to see that they had done so.

Jack sat next to Quinn with his arm around him. Quinn was a little cold and tired but he was determined to stay up with the big boys. Jack found a jacket in Quinn's pack and threw it over his shoulders. Nearby, Jesse was sitting with Eamon who was already nodding off. When the last story was told, Steve reminded everyone of the rules. He reiterated that anyone was welcome to join Danny in the living room.

It took little time to get everyone in their sleeping bags. It was a little breezy so the boys were happy to huddle in their bags. Jack and Jesse picked spots next to their charges, and Steve as always to the spot by the door.

Next door, Finn and Kono were a little disappointed when their sons disappeared into the tent. It had been a very pleasant evening. Ed and Clara enjoyed watching their family next door too. They were very proud of Steve and Danny and the way they were bringing their sons up. They were also enjoying watching the other boys grow up. When their other grandchildren were growing up, Ed was so busy with work that he couldn't take enough time to stop and enjoy them. He would not make the same mistake twice.

"Jack and Jesse are a magnificent reflection of their fathers."

"You're right Finn. I could tell that when we came to visit or when they came to Jersey. But seeing it day in and day out is something else. They always take time for the boys, and I don't think that I've ever heard them lose their cool. I don't know how they do it."

"Have any of the boys ever gone to sleep in the house?"

"Andy did one night. He had problems with asthma when he was younger and he needed his inhaler. Danny brewed a cup of tea for him and he was okay but Danny asked him to stay inside because he was lonely."

"That sounds like Danny. Are you ready to go home Kono? I believe we had plans for later."

"It looks like Steve and Danny have the situation under control. They will call if there's a problem they can't handle. Ed and Clara, thanks for sharing dinner and your deck. I can't believe my babies are camping out with the big boys tonight. Finn, are you sure you don't want another little one?"

"Bite your tongue woman! I love our children more than life itself, but I'm still recuperating from some of the twins antics. Oh, you were kidding."

Kono was laughing so hard it almost hurt. "Oh Finn, you should have seen the look on your face. It was priceless!"

Finn pinched her butt and whispered in her ear. "Any more funny business and there will be no monkey sex for you."

Fortunately, Kono behaved on the way home and was able to make the most of having Finn to herself for the night. Eamon and Quinn slept through the night in the tent and were very excited the next morning to realize that they would be having breakfast with their friends. Eamon knocked over his juice at breakfast but this time Steve managed to avoid getting soaked. Instead he patiently cleaned up the mess and poured more juice.

After breakfast, Danny presented pictures and certificates to the campers. He also printed out other pictures for Finn and Kono. Steve looked a little worse for the wear after guarding eight boys all night, but he perked up a little after a morning swim. Kono reported on Monday that the twins talked about their night all weekend and that they went to bed early on Saturday night for the first time ever.


End file.
